The Great Debate Over the Hudson Valley’s Most Unique Word

One of the easiest ways to tell if somebody is a Hudson Valley local is to hear how they pronounce certain roads, towns, and attractions. Unfortunately, it seems like not even lifetime residents can agree on one of our most treasured landmarks.

There are a few telltale mispronunciations that are dead giveaways when it comes to spotting an out-of-towner. The town of Accord, NY in Ulster County, for example, sounds like ACK-ord when said by locals, while visitors in Land Rovers ask for directions to a-CORD without fail (to be fair, they're technically correct).

Hudson Valley Words Only Locals Can Pronounce

Other "local-only" words include Poughquag (PO-kwaig), Poughkeepsie (po-KIP-see), and even Delhi (del-HI). One mountain range, however, has caused quite the debate from residents of a town that should be considered experts on the subject.

Read More: The 7 Hudson Valley Towns Out-of-Towners Still Can't Pronounce

How to Correctly Pronounce "Shawangunk"

The question in the New Paltz community Facebook group was innocent enough. "I am new to the area", the post read, "what is the correct pronunciation of 'Shawangunk'?" The comment section quickly divided into two camps.

The most obvious way to pronounce the famous ridge in Ulster County is phonetically. With no silent letters, shuh-WAN-gunk seems pretty self-explanatory. Until, that is, you consider what many describe as "the local pronunciation".

How Do Locals Pronounce "Shawangunk"?

"The end is pronounced 'gum'", came the first comment. "Shawn gum", elaborated another commenter. Luckily, the official website of the Town of Shawangunk has weighed in on the debate on their website:

For people who have lived here for years, it’s pronounced “SHON-gum”. For others, it's “Sha-WAN-Gunk”. Either way, we all agree it’s a great place to live, work, eat and play!

In the end, the verdict is mixed. If you want to sound like a local, give SHON-gum a try. If you want to sound like a local who knows how to read, maybe stick with pronouncing all the letters in its name. No matter the pronunciation, the mountain ridge is undeniably beautiful. Check out some real estate with a million-dollar view of the 'gunks below.